Local places of interest
Penshaw Monument
we can see this in the distance from the street where I live and it is illuminated at night...it is one of the North East's most prominent landmarks, Penshaw Monument was built in 1844 in honour of the first Earl of Durham, John George Lambton.... Penshaw Monument was modelled on the Thesion, the Temple of Theseus in Athens. Penshaw stands above the city on a limestone hill in the middle of the Great North Forest and affords views as far afield as Durham Cathedral and the North Pennines.
Hartlepool
The town's Historic Quay, an open-air reconstructed replica of a Napoleonic seaport first opened in 1994 and more recently rebranded as Hartlepool's Maritime Experience, is home to Britain's oldest warship still afloat, the frigate HMS Trincomalee, built in Bombay 1817.
the legend goes that during the time of the Napoleonic Wars. a French ship was wrecked just of the coast of the headland of Old Hartlepool The only survivor to be washed ashore was a small monkey dressed in a French sailors uniform. The wretched creature had apparently been used for entertainment by the crew of the unfortunate ship. The people of Hartlepool at the time were largely simple fishing folk and had (probably) never seen a monkey and so they assumed it was a French spy, they promptly took it away for questioning. Unfortunately (for itself) the monkey could neither speak nor understand English and could only gibber agitatedly, which only served to further persuade the locals to the identity of the prisoner as they took this gibbering to be French! Finally the monkey was put on trial, found guilty of spying and of course sentenced to death by hanging. The monkey was finally hung on the fish sands a small stretch of beach below the ancient town wall
the marina
the marina is surrounded by a hotel and private apartments and heres a row of wine bars and coffee bars and restaurants varying from traditional English fish and chips to Thai, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Italian meals
Durham
Durham Cathedral has been described as ‘one of the great architectural experiences of Europe’. It is renowned as a masterpiece of Romanesque (or Norman) architecture. It was begun in 1093 and largely completed within 40 years.
another view of the Cathedral and below on the other side of Palace Green lies the Castle
me and my email friend Lynda from Australia beside Durham castle
Seaton Sluice is situated half a mile north of, and formed part of, the old village of Hartley, of which the earliest records date from 1097, when it was in the possession of the monks of Tynemouth. Hartley was the name given to the whole of the area between the Brier Dene at Whitley and the Seaton Burn on the Blyth coastal road.In the early years, apart from the Rivers Tyne and Tweed, there were no natural harbours along the Northumbrian coastline and so with the growth of the coal trade it became a necessity to develop new ports. Although Seaton Sluice was mentioned in 1565 in a drawn-up list of Northumbrian ports, it was then just a natural harbour. Just over 200 years ago Seaton Sluice became the centre of a flourishing coal and glass trade, exporting to western Europe, and for its size was the centre of greater commercial activity than any other town on the North East coast with ships of up to 300 tons burden visiting the tiny harbour. It was from the 30-odd pits in the district near Hartley township where the coal was mined. Employing hundreds of seamen and providing a living for miners, ropemakers, sailmakers, shipbui1ders, insurance brokers, also investment opportunities for numerous shareholders, trade at Seaton Sluice once rivalled that of North Shields and Blyth and its success was entirely due to the entrepreneurial and engineering skills of the Delaval family.
Seaton Sluice looking towards the town of Blyth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth Priory and castle - Site of a 7th century monastery, 11th century priory, 13th century castle and fortifications from the Napoleonic Wars to World War II
